VPHG Artist Spotlight: Chelsea Brant

It's time for another installment of our Artist Spotlight series; where we find out a little more about the people behind the pieces featured in the gallery. Today we'll be hearing from Chelsea Brant, one of the LaTrobe Visual Arts students currently exhibiting in the LAB RATS show.

 

Who are you? 
My name is Chelsea Brant, I am 22 years old and will be completing my third year of University in June 2013. I have concluded 2 and a half years of my undergrad at the University of Guelph, Ontario in Canada and am currently finishing a semester exchange at La Trobe University, Bendigo campus. I have worked with many different mediums and been guided by many different professors, and community artists, all in which have greatly helped me to get where I am today. I have always enjoyed art but never expected to take it any further than high school. Once I was offered an elective course in my first year of University with an art course as an option, I fell in love with art. Ever since, I have been learning, evolving and perfecting my artistic journey.

What inspires you?
Going to art galleries is my biggest inspiration. After a day of gallery hopping, I find myself infused with energy to go home and work on my own art. I get so anxious, it becomes difficult to go to sleep.

What are the main medium(s) you work in?
Before temporarily moving to Australia, my main mediums were oil paint and charcoal. However my attention has diverted to trying different types of mediums while here, as well as different ways of presenting my artwork.

How do you describe your work?
My current work is based on an evolving feeling of insecurity, lack of confidence in an art world and frustrations with evaluations in art. It is experimental, yet well thought through and processed.

Tell us about the specific pieces you're exhibiting at VPHG...
The work exhibited at VPHG is a series or 3 different works. Two of which are installation pieces created from images, drinking glasses and water and one of which is a processed self-portrait released on textured paper. This series is meant to peak the curiousity of its viewers, provoke some intentional or unintentional feelings as well as subtly describe my feelings caused and resolved over the period of one semester.

What are you working on currently?
Currently I am holding back from the production of more work until I return to Canada. Once back home, I will be producing abstract paintings for an upcoming shared exhibition with a Toronto artist.

Thanks Chelsea for being a part of the VPHG Artist Spotlight series - all the best for your return to Canada! If you'd like to catch Chelsea's work before she leaves, the LAB RATS exhibition will be on until the  8th of June at View Point Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo. 

Exhibition - OBJECT: secondlife

The Bendigo artistic community has accepted the OBJECT: secondlife challenge with enthusiasm - twice we've had to restock objects as the entries came pouring in! We still have a few objects left, but be sure to get in touch soon to secure your space.

The exhibition flyer has been finalised; we've moved towards hosting Saturday afternoon openings for the colder months, so be sure to head along to VPHG on June 15th between 4pm-6pm to be a part of the OBJECT: secondlife reveal party!

Exhibition: LAB RATS (June 1-8, 2013)

View Point Handmade Gallery is excited to be playing host again to some of Bendigo's bright young things!

LaTrobe's 3rd year Visual Arts students; Carol Leigh, Emily Richards-Jones, Lucille March and Chelsea Brant, dubbed the 'Lab Rats' have prepared a visual feast for Bendigo as part of their mid-year examinations. The show only runs for a week, so be sure to pop in from the 1st to the 8th of June!

LAB RATS is an exhibition that has evolved around four different artists all hoping to bring subconscious emotions into the tangible realm. It is an indirect aim at acceptance, perseverance and remembrance. 

Each artist has focused on different mediums and source material yet the majority are highly involved with the process of creation rather than the final production. The element of personal touch is highly emphasized in each artist’s very personal work; dealing with the spirit or the soul, the absence and presence, the frustration of conviction and the reflection on memory. 

Each artist seeks to allow the viewer to interpret their stories, and struggles, while intervening with their own.

Follow their journey via their facebook page and be sure to RSVP to their opening event!

Exhibition Opportunity: 'OBJECT - secondlife' Call Out

OBJECT: 2013
SECONDLIFE

VPHG Challenge Show

VPHG are hosting their first annual OBJECT Challenge Show June 15th - July 6th

For the first show VPHG is challenging artists to give secondhand items a new lease on life.

As part of the $20 entry fee each artist will be supplied with a randomly allocated secondhand item.

A BYO object option is available and all mediums will be considered, as long as the 'canvas' has had a previous life.

More details on the website

Know someone this challenge show would be perfect for? Be sure to share the word!

 

Behind the Scenes: Hanging Anatomy

I'm beyond excited for this show - the exhibiting artists have gone above and beyond my expectations when I set the theme. We'll be showcasing everything from 3D sculptural work to lino prints, from 10 very talented local artists.

With over 20 pieces in the exhibition, most of them large scale, let me just say that hanging a show at VPHG is where I get most of my exercise - that's at minimum of 20 trips up and down our stairs just carting the work up to the gallery!

Opening night is tomorrow, Friday the 10th of May from 7pm until 9pm at View Point Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo. (Opposite the fountain).

Anatomy Art Show: Media Release

Let's get PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL!

View Point Handmade Gallery (VPHG) encourages artists to explore the physiological for a group art exhibition centred around the theme of ANATOMY

“Works submitted run the gamut of mediums – from life drawing studies through to 3D sculptural pieces. It's a really strong show and the View Point team can't wait to share it with Bendigo!”

- Curator, Jess Cola

Included will be works by talented Bendigo artists such as Isabelle Kawai Vincent, Julie Proudfoot and Peter Fountain (as seen in the images above) and many others.

“Detail studies of the anatomy of the figure, especially the bone and muscle structure of the arms and hands was a focus to create emotional expressions ”

- Exhibiting Artist, Isabelle Kawai Vincent

The official opening will be held on Friday the 10th of May from 7pm – 9pm upstairs at View Point Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo.

The gallery and artists are encouraging all locals and visitors to come down to the opening and enjoy a glass of wine and experience some fabulous art.

The exhibition will be on display from May 10th – May 24th during VPHG opening hours. 

 

Queer Country: Art Show

Texture - Group Exhibition

 

 To coincide with the Bendigo Easter Festival, VPHG has asked artists to explore the theme of 'Texture', tying in with the overall Festival's 2013 theme of 'Embrace Your Senses'

The official opening is on Friday the 29th of March from 7-9pm. (all welcome) RSVP on Facebook

The show will run from March 29th – April 14th during VPHG opening hours.

Forget Me Not Group Show

Thank you to everyone who came along to the opening and congratulations to Grace who won the lucky door prize!

It's a beautiful show with some really stunning works, if you couldn't make the opening be sure to pop by and check it out - it runs until March 17th.

Forget Me Not - Official Opening

We're trialling a more family friendly time slot for our next opening!

This Saturday from 3-5pm we will be showcasing some incredible local artists, highlighting their previously unexhibited gems.

There will be a VPHG gift voucher up for grabs as a lucky door prize for those that come along to the opening.

We're also introducing a dedicated kids art area, with all the makings for them to produce their own master piece!

Anatomy - Themed Group Show

 

May 4^th  – May 24^th: 'Anatomy' Show – Let's get PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL! VPHG is calling for artists to submit works exploring Anatomy. Works in all mediums will be considered, please contact us if you have any queries regarding your submission.

All artists are invited to participate, so if you'd like to be a part of this great show, head to our website and fill out the group show application form http://www.viewpointgallery.com.au/appform/ . Spaces are limited, successful applicants will be notified. A $10 fee will be payable for each selected piece ($5 for each additional piece, in the case of multiple submissions) and 25% commission will be taken on all works sold.

Texture - Themed Group Show

March 29^th – April 14^th: 'Texture' Show – To coincide with the Bendigo Easter Festival, VPHG is calling for artists to explore the theme of 'Texture', tying in with the Easter Festival's 2013 theme of 'Embrace Your Senses'.Works in all mediums will be considered, please contact us if you have any queries regarding your submission.

All artists are invited to participate, so if you'd like to be a part of this great show, head to our website and fill out the Group Show Application Form . Spaces are limited, successful applicants will be notified. A $10 fee will be payable for each selected piece ($5 for each additional piece, in the case of multiple submissions) and 25% commission will be taken on all works sold.

The 'Forget Me Not' Art Show - Call Out

Feb 16^th – March 17^th: 'Forget Me Not' Show – This is your chance to exhibit that undiscovered gem! VPHG is calling for artists to submit works that have never previously been exhibited publicly before. Works in all mediums will be considered, please contact us if you have any queries regarding your submission.

All artists are invited to participate, so if you'd like to be a part of this great show, head to our website and fill out the group show application form. Spaces are limited, successful applicants will be notified. A $10 fee will be payable for each selected piece ($5 for each additional piece, in the case of multiple submissions) and 25% commission will be taken on all works sold.

Submissions close Tuesday the 12th of Feb

Bizoo Present: Workshop & Book Launch @ VPHG

to see full size poster head here

(From the Bizoo Media Release)

QLD Creatives head South to share Bizoo, DIY Skills and a CULT-ure Map!

To celebrate the launch of Bizoo’s final release: The Best, The Worst and the Trash That Never Made It', the crew behind Bizoo Zine invites you to a free CULT-ure Map workshop on Thursday 20^th December and the official launch as part of the ‘End of the World’ exhibition on Friday 21^st December .

What’s a zine? Zine is pronounced ‘zeen’, or like magazine without the ‘maga’ at the front. Generally, it is a non-commercial and often handmade publication devoted to specialised subject matter. Bizoo started life as a zine. The subject matter on its inception was supporting and growing the cultural sector in and around the Darling Downs.

3550 CULT-ure Map will be part zine, part community created tourist map.

Bizoo’s final release is a free retrospective, carbon neutral book that covers the highlights and lowlights of the music and arts zine, Bizoo. Bizoo grew up in Toowoomba Queensland, that’s right; it is home to more than just the Carnival of Flowers. Over its twenty-five issues, Bizoo rounded up a tribe of 60 contributors from across the country and became an underground platform that supported the arts nationally.

For five years, Bizoo woke up a sleepy town and brought to life a thriving arts community. The Bizoo crew will tell the tale on how they achieved this and plan to pass on skills that can assist the growth of Victoria’s regional cultural community. Bizoo gave the folk of Toowoomba an outlet to create, collaborate, and connect while supporting the development of their regional town.

Two of the creators of the publication are spreading the word throughout regional Victoria via workshops and events throughout November and December. With their eyes set on planting cultural seeds in every town they visit. They plan to share their success story and strategies with the Bendigo community and show how a small group of young people created, collaborated and connected.

View Point Handmade gallery has invited Jeremy Staples; the creator of Bizoo and Elouise Quinlivan; owner of the online zine shop Smells Like Zines as well as Bizoo book contributor to come along and facilitate the creation of the 3550 CULT-ure Map zine and launch it and the Bizoo Zine book the following night as part of the ‘End of the World Exhibition’!

You know those boring tourist guides found at backpackers and bus interchanges that show only the money spinning attractions and restaurants that have paid to be on the map? We want to reclaim the streets by highlighting the real events, attractions, cheap eats, artist-run spaces and affordable or free events that only locals would know about. In short – we want you to add your secrets to the map.

Bizoo is coming with your help to create and compile, print and distribute the 3550 CULT-ure Map. We’ll bring along all the resources and creative tools - you need to add your story, insights and secrets.

If the ‘End of the World’ exhibition on the 21^st of December wasn’t enough, Bizoo and the 3550 CULT-ure Map will be officially launched as well as The Covers of Bizoo exhibition with highlight all the artists who created covers over the past twenty-five issues. Some have gone onto working at Disney, some have helped to make our street walls shine and others have gone on to create their own zines and start their own DIY collectives. ‘The Covers of Bizoo’ exhibition will highlight all the amazing talent that wrapped around the little zine and made it stick out from the rest. Come along and checkout what Ken Taylor - the now house hold name for rock posters, movies and art design, Rowan Tedge whose work was featured in Vice mag as well as his own zine collections, Simon Degroot whose iconic pieces breathe life into Brisbane’s traffic signal boxes, Sam Mackenzie, an illustrator and well known Brisbane poster and graphic designer and so many more. These artists weren’t in it for the coin, which is great, because Bizoo had no money to pay them, but we thank them for getting on board to kick off a DIY community across Australia.

If we haven’t sold you yet! For one night which could very well be our last! Come learn and print your very own souvenir Gocco postcard. Originating from Japan which mixes the elements of screen printing and pressure printing together. Its easy and simple, even your five year old sister could do it.

If you’re interested in attending or have any questions, please don’t hesitate in getting in contact. You can reach Jessica Cola on info@viewpointgallery.com.au

Exciting times ahead!

It's hard to believe that next month we will be celebrating View Point's 1st birthday! This past year has been incredible - we have met so many wonderful people, seen so many amazing things and been a part of so many exciting projects!

To celebrate this momentous occasion we are throwing a birthday party! A group art exhibition centred around the theme of 'time'. There have been some fabulous submissions and we can't wait to share these pieces with you.

The opening night is Friday the 7th of September from 7pm in the upstairs gallery at View Point Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point Bendigo. We would love to see you there!

The first 50 people through the door will receive a goodie bag (some will contain extra surprises!), so make sure you get along early. We're still in the final planning stages of the event, so be sure to RSVP on the facebook event for more details.

The exhibition runs from the 8th of September - 20th of September, so if you can't make the opening you can still catch a fantastic show!


Keeping with the theme of Art Parties (how ALL good exhibition openings should feel!) we're calling for submissions to our end of year show, here's the details:

I'm always astounded by the talent and creativity of our handmade stockists, they have a knack for creating the most devine 'wantables'! These are just a small sample of some of the recent stock additions/restocks - click through to the facebook album for more photos of the new things in store this month!

August Stock

 

 

 

 

With spring just around the corner we're putting out the call again for skilled makers interested in hosting workshops at the gallery. If you've got a skill you'd be keen to share we want to hear from you!

Speaking of making things - we're also looking to take on extra handmade stockists over the festive period (Oct-Dec), if you're making rad things please get in touch so we can talk 'shop'!

I think we've covered enough ways to get involved at View Point for one blog post!
Take care and we will see you soon!
Jess from VPHG

Huge Birthday Exhibition - Artist Call Out!

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

CALL FOR ARTISTS

It's our first birthday! To celebrate this auspicious occasion View Point Handmade Gallery will be hosting a group show, based around the theme of 'time' – works in all mediums will be considered, please contact us if you have any queries regarding your submission.

Opening night will see the gallery transformed into a surreal birthday party, complete with cake and festivities - Come along and help celebrate one year of business and wish the gallery a Happy Birthday!

All artists are invited to participate, so if you'd like to be a part of this great show, email info@viewpointgallery.com.au with a URL or 1-3 lo-res images of your previous works, plus a little bit about yourself, and any other exhibitions you've been in(if any). Spaces are limited, successful applicants will be notified. A $10 fee will be payable for each selected piece ($5 for each additional piece, in the case of multiple submissions) and 25% commission will be taken on all works sold.

IMPORTANT DATESAugust 5^th 2012 - Last date for expressions of interest
September 4^th 2012 - All works to be delivered to gallery ready for hanging or display.
September 7^th 2012 - Opening Night
September 20^th 2012 - Last day of exhibition. Work to be collected within 7 days of exhibition closing.

Latest exhibition details - Co.Lab 2012: Words & Art

Media Release for Co.lab project.

James WF Roberts

It's not often that writers get to their hang their work in a gallery, next to a work of art. It's not very often that the individual act of reading and appreciating the printed word, is done communally. And it is not often these days that artists and writers come together to create work based on each other's own vision. But this is what's going on in Bendigo at the moment. The Co.lab project, brought together by Hugh Waller, of Bendarts, and Jessica Cola, of View Point Handmade Gallery, is one of the most remarkable exhibitions going around. The artists and writers either responded to each other's work, worked together on a new project or used existing pieces to create something new.

To coincide with the exhibition a catalogue of the works has been produced in the form of a book - a first of it's kind, this anthology will serve to showcase the amazing works produced long after the exhibition ends. The book can be pre-ordered online via the co.lab website (www.colab.bendarts.org) or at View Point Handmade Gallery. Proceeds from book sales go back to the writers and the artists.

Jessica Cola, from View Point Handmade Gallery, states on the official site; “This exhibition has been an exercise in collaboration from the very beginning. Hugh Waller, founder of Bend Arts and one of the participating artists, approached us here at View Point with the idea of running a show to coincide with the inaugural Bendigo Writers Festival. Many coffees and brainstorming sessions later, we had thrashed out the idea of a collaborative exhibition, bringing writers and visual artists together to create a dialogue between words and art. The collaborative process has taken on a life of it's own within the individual pairings – with some groups choosing to create entirely new pieces, revamp past works or team up for the entire creative process, both written and visual.”

The book launch and exhibition coincides with inaugural Bendigo Writer's Festival in August this year. The exhibition opening will be held at View Point Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point Bendigo, on Friday the 3^rd of August from 7pm – 9pm to which the public are welcome to attend. The exhibition runs from Saturday, August 4th to Friday, August 31^st.

As a participating writer in this project, I can tell you that level of professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm coming from Hugh and Jessica, and pouring down to the rest of us, is like nothing I have ever seen before.

Book specifications: gloss soft cover, satin pages, size: 25 x 20cm it has 58 pages. Price $50.00

So do yourself a favour if you are anywhere near View Point Handmade Gallery in August, drop in and have a look and see the level of artistry that Bendigo has at present.

For further information contact:

Hugh Waller, info@bendarts.org 
Jessica Cola, info@viewpointgallery.com.au

A few quick notes...

While the blog has been rather quiet, it would be safe to say that View Point has been a hive of activity lately!

We've welcomed many new and exciting stockists over the last few weeks, stay tuned for stockist spotlights in the coming weeks.

Bendigo was featured in the latest Peppermint Mag, including a mention of us in the shopping section! This issue is available in store (only a handful of copies left, so get in quick to secure yourself one).

We've also been in the local paper: Pleased with the progress by Rosemary Sorensen

We had a stall at the Peppergreen Farm Community Festival and spent the day spreading the View Point word far and wide!

We've been hosting an exhibition by Djonn Cosgriff in the gallery space upstairs, have you checked it out yet? With only a few days left before the exhibition ends, pop in and have a look through our gallery space at some incredible esoteric works by the Visual ENdjinnEER.

And finally we'll be altering our trading hours slightly over the Easter period, with extended trading hours over the Easter Saturday and Sunday.

Djonn Cosgriff - Visual ENdjinnEER Exhibition

Exciting things are a-bewin'!

 

After a six month incubation period, the Next On Now Art Blast is almost upon us! Next On Now will culminate in a weekend long arts festival, the Next on Now Art Blast from 24^th to 26^th February. Showcasing seven artists throughout Bendigo in a variety of mediums.

The Art Blast features seven installations with works by artists Leonie Kelsall, Tom Pender, Kelly Robson, Christine Sayer, Katie Sfetkidis, Isobelle Sirianni, Amy Turton and Rick Whateley. You can meet the artists and learn more about their journey at the Next on Now Art Blast launch on Tuesday 7^th February, 5-6:30pm at El Gordo Café, Chancery Lane, Bendigo.

The Art Blast opens on Friday 24^th February from 6pm-8pm upstairs at Viewpoint Handmade Gallery, 13 View Point, Bendigo and runs through Saturday and Sunday. A weekend pass to the Art Blast costs $10 and provides you with a program containing locations map, cultural notes and admission to all installations and performances. Passes are available from the Capital Theatre Box Office at 50 View Street, Bendigo or telephone 03 5434 6100. For more information about Next on Now visit the artists’ blog at www.nextonnow.com. 

 

This will also be the first chance for the public to catch a glimpse of View Point Handmade Gallery's upstairs exhibition and workshop space - don't miss the opportunity to see what Central Victoria has to offer!